State =
transportation officials are backing away from a plan to =
reconnect a=20
2.2-mile portion of Route 82 in Robeson Township that hasn't =
had=20
vehicle traffic for 18 years.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation wants to =
downgrade=20
the project to involve improving the road at both ends of =
the closed=20
portion but leaving the partitioned section untouched and =
off-limits=20
to motor vehicles, according to Donald E. Lerch, a PennDOT =
official.

Lerch informed the Reading Area Transportation Study =
technical=20
committee of PennDOT's new position at a meeting Thursday.

The panel agreed to discuss the matter with =
Birdsboro-area=20
officials before recommending a scaled-down version of the =
project=20
to transportation group's coordinating committee.

Lerch cited the increased complexities of the project =
since it=20
was devised several years ago as the reason for PennDOT's =
change in=20
plans.

The 2.2-mile section of Route 82 near Birdsboro has been =
closed=20
since 1987, when flooding from Hay Creek washed out part of =
the road=20
and weakened several bridges.

After years of inactivity, PennDOT in recent years has =
worked to=20
advance a project to reconnect Route 82. The Berks County =
Planning=20
Commission and its transportation panel supported the =
project.

But most regulations involved, including those for =
erosion and=20
sediment control and bridge design, have changed, and =
PennDOT would=20
have to do more extensive environmental studies than =
previously=20
anticipated, Lerch said.

Another complication is the construction by the nearby =
Haines=20
& Kibblehouse rock quarry of a railroad siding on part =
of the=20
intended route for the rebuilt road.

=93The number of options for reopening Route 82 have =
slimmed down=20
to almost nothing,=94 Lerch said.

Alan D. Piper, county transportation planner, said that =
besides=20
regulatory issues, local opposition to the reopening is =
another=20
factor driving the change of plans.

Some residents and environmental and conservation groups =
such as=20
the Hay Creek Watershed Association also have opposed the =
reopening,=20
saying road construction would harm the creek and =
surrounding land=20
and wildlife.

Over the years, the closed portion has become a favored =
spot for=20
hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and bird watchers.

PennDOT would like a public entity such as Birdsboro, =
Berks=20
County or the Birdsboro Municipal Authority to take over the =
closed=20
section, and the agency plans to discuss that idea with =
those=20
entities in coming weeks, Lerch and Piper said.

Lerch said PennDOT cannot leave the road in its existing =
state,=20
which consists of barricades where the road dead-ends before =
the=20
closed section. Some improvements would be made in those =
areas.

=A9 =
2005=20
Reading Eagle Company, All Rights ReservedServing the Berks =
County=20
community and surrounding areas for over 130 years!This site =
contains=20
links to other Internet sites.These links are not endorsements =
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products or services in such sites,and no information in such =
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